In the early evening of 4 May, Mazouza Abu Arar was kept busy trying to make her grandchildren less afraid. They had heard the sound of explosions at various times that day.

Mazouza went into the courtyard of her home in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood. She organized a small celebration for Ramadan, which would begin the following day. Joined by members of her extended family, she distributed lanterns and sweets among her grandchildren.

Suddenly, the family’s home was hit by a projectile.

A toddler Saba Abu Arar and her aunt Filastin Abu Shihma were killed. Filastin was pregnant with a boy. She had planned to call her son Abdallah.

“Saba was very close to me,” said her grandmother Mazouza. “I wanted to hug her. But suddenly I felt like I was being pulled downwards and I lost consciousness.”

Adnan Abu Arar, husband of Filastin, rushed to the scene as soon as he heard the explosion.